My first impression of the book was “wow they talk a lot about sex”. I wasn’t expecting that at all. I’m no prude (I read my fair share of romance novels) but from the summary I read before, I didn’t think sex/seeing sex as a sin/sexual desires would be such an important part of the book and right off the bat.

Aside from that, I was intrigued by Ralph and Catherine. What they did in their past and what they are running from.

They DO talk a lot about sex! It’s kind of disturbing at times just because it’s so obsessive and just… wow. LOL. After like five pages of Ralph wanting to undress Catherine and do unspeakable things to her, I wanted to yell JUST HAVE SEX ALREADY OMG. I agree with Alix, this was my first impression as well.

I like the author’s writing style, and I am interested to know what will happen with Ralph and Catherine.

I agree! Also not a prude, but I was just … shocked! I guess I didn’t expect one of the main characters, Ralph, to have such serious sexual issues :O His obsession, to me, is what made his life so unhappy. Or at least, one of the major factors.

My first thoughts were the same. To be honest, I didn’t know much about the book before reading. Right away I realized it was a romance, which I have read my fair share of. There’s usually a lot of overly descriptive narrative about sex, wanting, loneliness, etc. However after a while it was clear that sex would be the obsession of these two characters… I was hoping things would get interesting, because I kind of liked Ralph (however messed up he was) and was curious about Catherine and how they would work out together.

I guess maybe had I gone in with more knowledge I would have been as surprised by the whole sex obsession though also having read more then my fair share of romance, it’s the first time I’ve encountered it in the way this book presents it.

What We’re Reading

Rural Wisconsin, 1909. In the bitter cold, Ralph Truitt, a successful businessman, stands alone on a train platform waiting for the woman who answered his newspaper advertisement for "a reliable wife." But when Catherine Land steps off the train from Chicago, she's not the "simple, honest woman" that Ralph is expecting. ...MORE?